Which place is cheaper, San Pedro La Laguna or Santo Domingo?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Santo Domingo or San Pedro La Laguna?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Which city is more affordable and which is best for your travel style? If you're trying to figure out where to go next, comparing the travel costs between Santo Domingo and San Pedro La Laguna can help you decide which place is right for you.
Where Should I go: Santo Domingo or San Pedro La Laguna?
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic, is a vibrant city that seamlessly blends history, culture, and modernity. Known for being the oldest continuously inhabited European settlement in the Americas, Santo Domingo offers a wealth of experiences that cater to every type of traveler.
Traveling to Santo Domingo on a budget is entirely achievable with some strategic planning. Accommodations range from luxury hotels to budget-friendly hostels and guesthouses. The Zona Colonial, the historic district, offers several affordable lodging options that provide easy access to major attractions. Hostels offer comfortable accommodations and a chance to meet fellow travelers, too. Eating on a budget is also feasible in Santo Domingo. Local eateries, known as "comedores," serve traditional Dominican dishes at reasonable prices.
San Pedro La Laguna
Located in the Western Highlands of Guatemala, Lake Atitlan is a beautiful volcanic lake ringed by small towns and villages that are highly frequented by backpackers. Panajachal is one of the best known of the towns, as well as the main entry point of the region, while others like San Pedro La Laguna are quieter and more off the beaten path. Lake Atitlan and its villages attract visitors for its scenic beauty, outdoor activities, and Mayan culture nearby.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Dominican Republic, The Best Adventure Tours to Guatemala, and The Best Eco Tours in Guatemala.
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Santo Domingo Prices
Dominican Republic PricesSan Pedro La Laguna Prices
Guatemala Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per daySanto Domingo $106San Pedro La Laguna $45
The average daily cost (per person) in Santo Domingo is $106, while the average daily cost in San Pedro La Laguna is $45. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Santo Domingo and San Pedro La Laguna in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personSanto Domingo $43San Pedro La Laguna $8.38
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomSanto Domingo $86San Pedro La Laguna $17
Compare Hotels in Santo Domingo and San Pedro La Laguna
Looking for a hotel in Santo Domingo or San Pedro La Laguna? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Our Analysis
We've analyzed the average and typical hotel prices based on guest reviews, star ratings, and hotel amenities here: Santo Domingo Hotel Prices.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Santo Domingo $4.88San Pedro La Laguna $13
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Santo Domingo
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Santo Domingo:
- VIP Suburban Private Transfer from Santo Domingo to Punta Cana: $170
- VIP Private Transfer from Las Americas Airport AILA To Punta Cana: $172
- Uvero Alto to Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) - Departure Private Transfer: $44
- Transfer from the Americas Inter. Airport to Punta Cana: $235
- Transfer from Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) to Samana Cruise Port: $122
- Transfer from Airport to Hotel throughout Santo Domingo Dom Rep: $45
- Transfer Private Airport SDQ to your Hotel in Santo Domingo: $65
- Taxi & Transfer From And To Punta Cana International Airport: $20
- Experience at the Museo del Ron Dominicano, Private Transfer.: $28
- Bahía de las Águilas w/ Private Transfer: $250
- Santo Domingo transfer to downtown (one-way private): $106
- Santo Domingo to Santo Domingo Airport (SDQ) - Departure Transfer: $30
Hired Cars and Shuttles in San Pedro La Laguna
Also for San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- Shared Transfer from Panajachel Atitlan to Guatemala City: $50
- Transfer from SanPedro Lago de Atitlan and airport Guatemala: $50
- Private One Way Transfer Lake Atitlán to Antigua Guatemala: $74
- Private transfer from Panajachel to Antigua Guatemala: $75
- Private transfer from Panajachel to Airport or Capital city: $78
- Private Transfer from Lake Atitlán to Guatemala Airport (GUA): $96
Is it cheaper to fly into Santo Domingo or San Pedro La Laguna?
Prices for flights to both San Pedro La Laguna and Santo Domingo change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one daySanto Domingo $57San Pedro La Laguna $19
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Santo Domingo
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Santo Domingo.
- Cooking Class in Santo Domingo:6 Recipes & Bottomless Drinks: $42
- Food Tour & Paradise Beach Day with Drinks: $140
Typical Food Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some examples of average food and meal prices for travelers:
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Lemonade$2.10
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Cake$1.31
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Ice cream$0.39
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Hot Cocoa & Banana Bread$3.02
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Temazcal sauna and dinner, cultural sharing experience: $60
- Maya Cooking Class from Panajachel: $66
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Santo Domingo $15San Pedro La Laguna $22
Typical Entertainment Prices in Santo Domingo
Some typical examples of activities, tours, and entrance ticket prices in Santo Domingo are as follows:
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Snorkeling Tour$44
Tours and Activities in Santo Domingo
Some specific costs of activities, tours, and entrance tickets for Santo Domingo are as follows:
- 6 Hours Private Cultural Tour in Santo Domingo: $190
- Cabarete Caves & Nature Adventure: $128
- Cacao trail and making of chocolate tour from Santo Domingo: $190
- Colonial Zone: Historical Tour with Visit to Columbus Lighthouse and Los Tres Ojos Park: $90
- Cumayasa Private Buggies Tour from Santo Domingo: $135
- Dominican Food, Rum, and Beer Tasting Experience: $35
- Double Tour with Buggies and Visit to the Colonial Zone and Museums in Santo Domingo: $95
- Experience the Three Eyes Park and Columbus Lighthouse: $45
- From Bávaro or Punta Cana: Santo Domingo Highlights Tour: $136
- From Punta Cana: Full-Day Santo Domingo City Tour: $70
- From Punta Cana: Sightseeing Tour of Santo Domingo, Zona Colonial, and Three Eyes: $85
- From Catalina Island Day Tour: $85
Typical Entertainment Prices in San Pedro La Laguna
Below are a few sample prices from actual travelers for San Pedro La Laguna's activities, tours, and tickets:
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Canopy Tour (for 2)$39
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Kayaking (for 2)$1.97
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Coffee Tour (for 2)$7.08
Tours and Activities in San Pedro La Laguna
For San Pedro La Laguna, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Beading Class and tour a Non-profit vocational training center a Fun cultural sharing experience: $28
- San Juan La Laguna Magic Town Walking Tour: $28
- Tour of San Juan Lake Atitlan: $30
- Indian Nose Tour Maya Face at Sunrise: $30
- Tour in the Atitlan Nature Reserve: $33
- Coffee, Chocolate and Textile Tour in Lake Atitlan: $35
- Coffee Walk Tour in San Juan La Laguna: $35
- La Nose of the Indian Mountain Tour: $36
- Tour Golden Dawn Indian nose: $40
- Lake Atitlan Guided Tour by Boat from Panajachel: $40
- Sunrise Tour in Indian Nose Hike and Views of Lake Atitlan: $40
- Sunrise Hike Tour on Indian's Nose Mountain: $40
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one daySanto Domingo $8.03San Pedro La Laguna $5.68
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Santo Domingo and San Pedro La Laguna, we can see that Santo Domingo is more expensive. And not only is San Pedro La Laguna much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. Since Santo Domingo is in Caribbean Islands and San Pedro La Laguna is in Central America, this is one of the main reasons why the costs are so different, as different regions of the world tend to have overall different travel costs. So, traveling to San Pedro La Laguna would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in San Pedro La Laguna and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Santo Domingo would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Santo Domingo than you might in San Pedro La Laguna.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Santo Domingo Expensive? and Is San Pedro La Laguna Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Santo Domingo or San Pedro La Laguna?
Santo Domingo has a larger population, and is about 230 times larger than the population of San Pedro La Laguna. When comparing the sizes of Santo Domingo and San Pedro La Laguna, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.